As it was conceived in the 1980s, the Over-the-Horizon Backscatter Radar array near Christmas Valley would have been a vital piece in the US defence against the Soviet Union, spotting low-flying cruise missiles invisible to other radar systems. A technological marvel, the system was said to be so precise, it could see waves breaking in the ocean.
But by the time the radar was complete, in 1990, the USSR was on the verge of collapse. Less than six months after it was activated, the US Air Force mothballed the $275 million transmitter for good.
Now, in a potential swords-to-plowshares makeover, local leaders and federal officials are collaborating to redevelop the Cold War relic into a hub for solar and geothermal energy.
(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
Related story: The Bulletin
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080220/NEWS0107/802200388
